Rare Rolex Chronographs: Pucci Papaleo Collection

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Key takeaways

• Phillips, in Association with Bacs & Russo, will present Part I of the Pucci Papaleo Collection of Rolex Chronographs, featuring 16 watches at The Geneva Watch Auction: XXIV on November 7-8, 2026.

• Assembled over 30 years, the collection covers Rolex chronographs from the 1930s through the 1970s, emphasizing extreme rarity, original details, and pristine condition.

• Highlights include a possibly unique 14k gold Ref. 6264 “Paul Newman Lemon” Daytona estimated in excess of 1,000,000 Swiss francs and a global preview tour across major cities including Dubai, New York, Hong Kong, and London.

(GENEVA) – Phillips, in Association with Bacs & Russo, is delighted to announce Part I of the Pucci Papaleo Collection of Rolex Chronographs, comprising 16 watches to be offered during The Geneva Watch Auction: XXIV on November 7-8 at Hotel President, Geneva.

For more than 30 years, Pucci Papaleo has pursued Rolex chronographs across successive generations, from the early iterations of the 1930s and 1940s to the models that preceded and accompanied the arrival of the Cosmograph Daytona. Over decades, his pursuit of knowledge and perfection has shaped the collection, guided by an uncompromising eye for quality and a constant search for the finest and best-preserved examples of each reference.

The 16 watches offered in November provide a window into the development of the Rolex chronograph and the details Papaleo has spent much of his career studying. They include rare references, most unusual dial configurations, and sought-after retailer-signed examples. Most of the watches have remained largely untouched, retaining the case geometry, dial surfaces, and small details often lost through decades of wear or intervention.

Highlights include an early and incredibly attractive Ref. 3525 “Bariletto,” Rolex’s first chronograph wristwatch housed in an Oyster case; an exceptionally well-preserved pink gold Ref. 3335, one of Rolex’s largest early chronographs; the most probably unique square Ref. 3830; a Ref. 6239 from the first Cosmograph Daytona generation with rare “Paul Newman Musketeer” dial; and a stunning and possibly unique 14k yellow gold Ref. 6264 with “Paul Newman Lemon” dial.

A selection of watches from the Pucci Papaleo Collection will travel internationally ahead of The Geneva Watch Auction: XXIV, with presentations in Dubai, New York, Singapore, Hong Kong, Riyadh, and London before returning to Geneva for the sale preview.

Pucci Papaleo: Collector, Publisher and Rolex Scholar

Based in Rome, Pucci Papaleo has held a distinctive position in the world of vintage Rolex for more than three decades. Collector, publisher, author and curator, he has not only assembled watches but also devoted much of his career to recording and explaining them.

His interest in Rolex chronographs developed in the late 1980s, when Italian collectors and dealers played an important role in the emerging international market for vintage Rolex. During the 1990s, his collecting evolved alongside a career in publishing, graphic design and photography. These interests came together in 2004 with the publication of “I Cronografi Rolex – La Leggenda”, followed by years of research that culminated in 2012’s “Ultimate Rolex Daytona,” an extensive visual study of the Cosmograph Daytona and its many variations.

Papaleo’s method relies on close comparison. He studies and photographs watches from his own collection and those sourced from collectors and dealers, documenting differences in dials, cases, scales, typography, and other details. His publications have helped make information once exchanged largely among specialist collectors available to a much wider audience.

His longstanding relationship with Aurel Bacs and Livia Russo has led to landmark thematic auctions. In 2013, Papaleo curated Daytona Lesson One, a celebration of the model’s 50th anniversary told through 50 remarkable examples. Five years later, the three reunited for Phillips’ Daytona Ultimatum, bringing together 32 exceptional watches in a carefully considered journey through the history, evolution and enduring fascination of the legendary chronograph.

Aurel Bacs and Livia Russo, Senior Consultants at Phillips in Association with Bacs & Russo, said: “Pucci has spent more than 30 years pursuing knowledge and perfection in shaping his collection of Rolex chronographs. But his contribution goes far beyond collecting. Through his books, his photography and his willingness to share what he has learned, he has helped give generations of collectors the tools to understand these watches. He has played a significant role in bringing Rolex to the position it occupies in the collecting world today.”

More Than Three Decades of Collecting

The approximately 70 watches in the Pucci Papaleo Collection span the Rolex chronograph’s history. Papaleo has not restricted himself to a single reference, period, metal or style. Instead, he has sought examples that could document different stages in the development of the chronograph at Rolex, while maintaining the standards of rarity, originality and especially condition that have come to characterize his collection.

Part I offers 16 watches from that history. Early pieces illustrate Rolex’s experiments with case forms and dial layouts before the Oyster chronograph became established. Others chart the development of the waterproof chronograph through the 1940s and 1950s and beyond, tracing the gradual emergence of the visual and technical vocabulary that would lead to the Cosmograph Daytona in 1963 and its subsequent development through the manual-winding Daytona era.

Exceptional condition is the defining thread running through the collection. Sharp case edges, crisp facets, clear hallmarks, and remarkably preserved dials reveal these watches much as they would have appeared when first made. At the same time, several are further distinguished by retailer signatures and period accessories. Together, the 16 watches offer a rare window onto the history of Rolex chronographs and the details and nuances that define their finest examples.

Selected Highlights

Lot 99 | ROLEX | Ref. 3525 “Bariletto,” Stainless Steel, Circa 1940

Estimate 250,000–500,000 Swiss francs

Introduced in 1939, the Ref. 3525 was Rolex’s first chronograph wristwatch housed in an Oyster case, combining a screw-down caseback and crown with chronograph functionality. This stainless-steel example belongs to an early generation of the reference, recognizable by its externally stamped case number. Its condition is particularly notable: both steps of the bezel remain sharply defined, including the fine outer step readily diminished through polishing, while the brushed case surfaces remain clearly visible. The multi-scale dial has developed a warm vanilla tone and carries the signature of Prouds, the Sydney-based Australian retailer. According to current research, this is the only Ref. 3525 known on the market with the Prouds signature. A Rolex rice-grain bracelet, a rarity in itself, completes the watch.

Lot 24 | ROLEX | Ref. 3335, 18k Pink Gold, Circa 1941

Estimate 250,000–500,000 Swiss francs

Among Rolex’s larger vintage chronographs, the Ref. 3335 stands out for its substantial 37mm case, concave bezel, angled lugs on gold examples, and oversized 12-hour register. Production was limited, and the case’s sharp geometry is particularly vulnerable to polishing. This pink gold example has survived in exceptional condition, retaining pronounced bevels and a sharply defined hallmark beneath the lug. Its pink dial shows minimal signs of aging, with crisp printing and the signature of Monetti, the Naples retailer founded in 1904. The combination of the pink gold case, pink dial, retailer signature, and condition makes this an important example of Rolex chronograph production from the early 1940s.

Lot 22 | ROLEX | Ref. 6239 “Paul Newman Musketeer,” Stainless Steel, Circa 1969

Estimate 250,000–500,000 Swiss francs

The Ref. 6239, introduced in 1963, was the first reference in the Cosmograph Daytona family and the first Rolex chronograph to place the tachymeter scale on the bezel. This example is distinguished by its rare black “Paul Newman Musketeer” dial. Unlike standard Paul Newman dials, where the concentric azurage extends to the edge of the subsidiary registers, the Musketeer variation uses azurage across only part of each register, with a smooth outer section sloping toward the main dial. The dial is exceptionally well preserved, retaining intact luminous dots and crisp graphics, while the stainless-steel case remains notably sharp. The watch includes its original Rolex guarantee and presentation box.

Lot 131 | ROLEX | Ref. 6264 “Paul Newman Lemon,” 14k Yellow Gold, Circa 1970

Estimate in excess of 1,000,000 Swiss francs

Among the collection’s greatest rarities is an exceptional Rolex Cosmograph Daytona ref. 6264 “Paul Newman Lemon” from circa 1970, distinguished by its extraordinarily rare creamy yellow dial and 14k yellow gold case. To the best of our knowledge, it is the only known 14k example within the celebrated 2.3 million “Lemon” serial range, and very likely the earliest and only known example to have appeared on the market in this batch with 2.3 million serial numbers. Preserved in remarkable condition, with a sharp, beautifully defined case and an exceptionally well-preserved dial, the watch represents one of the rarest and most coveted expressions of the Paul Newman Daytona.

The Geneva Watch Auction: XXIV will take place on November 7-8, 2026 at the Hotel President in Geneva. Ahead of the auction, highlights will travel to Dubai, New York, Singapore, Hong Kong, Riyadh and London, before returning to Geneva for the final preview from November 4-7.

GLOBAL HIGHLIGHTS TOUR

HONG KONG | 20–22 October | Phillips, 503 Pedder Building, 12 Pedder Street, Central, Hong Kong

RIYADH | 20–21 October | Crown & Compass, QJ8R+64Q, Metro Boulevard, Al Aqiq, Riyadh 13519

LONDON | 22–24 October | Phillips, 30 Berkeley Square, London W1J 6EX

GENEVA | 4–7 November | Hotel President, Quai Wilson 47, 1211 Geneva

AUCTION DETAILS

The Geneva Watch Auction: XXIV

Auction: November 7-8, 2026

Location: Hotel President, Quai Wilson 47, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland

As Phillips marks its 230th anniversary in 2026, the house celebrates more than two centuries at the forefront of the global market for Modern & Contemporary Art, Design, and Luxury. Founded in 1796 by the charismatic auctioneer Harry Phillips, the company has, since its earliest days, offered a distinct and forward-looking approach to sales and collecting. Over the centuries, Phillips has delivered record-breaking results and landmark offerings, while also pioneering new modes of collecting via the likes of Dropshop. Through its partnership with Bacs & Russo, Phillips continues to lead the industry in watches, setting new benchmarks for excellence, innovation, and connoisseurship. Today, Phillips remains true to its founder’s entrepreneurial spirit while redefining the role of a 21st-century auction house.